A brief history...

The history of apples is difficult to track even with written records because the word apple had been formerly used to refer to all fruits. They grow on trees in apple orchards that allow for cross pollination. Apples are unique because their seeds produce fruits with unpredictable qualities. There are over 7500 varieties in the world and most are grafted from exisitng trees.

It is believed that the first apples orginated from Tien Shan in Kazakhstan. The wild ancestor was cultivated by early humans. Apples have been an indespensible part of human culture in Asia, Europe, MIddle East, Egypt and eventually North America once it was brought over by immigrants. 1006 years after the birth of Christ was the Norman Conquest which introduced Cider from France. The growing popularity of apples has made it extremely valuable. In 1607 North American apples were first grafted.

Today, the average American eats 19 pounds of apple a year, which makes it the second most popular fruit in the country after the banana. Currently China is the largest grower of apples, responsible for 50% of apple production. American